Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Z is for Zinnias



Z is for Zinnias

Zinnias are a common annual grown here in Texas. They are a popular garden flower that grow in full sun and can tolerate the extreme heat of the summer.



Native to the American southwest and Mexico, zinnias are noted for single blooms on long stems. The range of bright colors ~ orange, pink, yellow, red, purple, lilac, fuchsia, and white ~ are as festive as a Mexican fiesta.



Zinnias are the perfect cutting flower. A handful of cut zinnias simply placed in a ceramic pitcher is a common summer sight around our home.


Thank you, Mrs. Matlock, for hosting Alphabe-Thursday for the past 26 weeks. It's been great fun! Click here to find a list of other Letter Z posts.


This post is also linked to the following weekly memes:



64 comments:

  1. I have seen a few Zinnias tonight and they keep making me smile! Thanks for a great Z!

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  2. I love Zinnias and yours are so pretty! Love the bouquet!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

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  3. Great post on zinnias. I am glad to know they tolerate heat because I planted them on my extremely hot deck.

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  4. My grandmother used to grow these. I remember them in vases around her house.

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  5. They look so sweet! I should try some next year. Between the heat and no rain my flowers are frying. I use portulaca on the deck as they are good in the heat. Do you have those in TX?

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  6. YOu and I think alike! I love your photos, and have enjoyed reading your posts each week, thanks for being a part of Alphabe!

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  7. Pretty, pretty, pretty! Zinnias always make me smile. Great choice for Z! I've so enjoyed our journey through the alphabet and getting to know you! Kat

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  8. I think this must be a sign lol. This is about the 3rd or so post I've seen on these beautiful flowers. I'm getting tired of planting marigolds. I might have to try these next year. I would love to be able to have cut flowers throughout the summer. Great Z post.

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  9. Love the pink - some other posts had melon ones... I feel like I am colletecting a bouquet for my vase...bkm

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  10. I LOVE ZINNIAS!!! My TX garden was filled with them...and my home was filled with vases of zinnias all summer long (with Cosmos). Unfortunately...and to my great sadness...I cannot seem to grow them here in coastal FL. No idea why...they just seem to be gone in the morning.

    Jane (artfully graced)

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  11. What a lovely bouquet you have for Mrs Matlock this week, Sarah.
    The colours are just stunning.
    Maggie

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  12. The pink shades are my favorite for zinnias. Just a beautiful bouquet of ZZ's.

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  13. Love your Zinnia's~ we ALL need to be heat tolerant this summer it seems! Thanks for the inspiration, I joined Alphabe-Thursday after seeing your Monkey Post~ so fun and memorable! Thanks for all your sweet comments too, hope to see you at FFT :-)

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  14. Super ‘Z’ post – all the Zinnia posts are so beautiful. Such vibrant, "happy" flowers!

    It’s been great meeting everyone over the past 26 weeks!

    Have a great weekend,

    LOLA:)

    PS Mine this week is HERE. Hope you can join me!

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  15. Love those vivaciouz zinniaz!!! Happy z day to you!

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  16. I love zinnias. My mother always grew them when I was a child. And, the colors are so vibrant.

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  17. Hi Sarah! I love your Zinnias! They come in such pretty colors! I need to try them in the sunny part of my yard! And they look so pretty in that white pitcher...perfect for summer! Have a great weekend...hugs...Debbie

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  18. Oh I love your zinnias, tried to grow them a while back and didn't have any luck, may want to rethink that game plan..lol hugs ~lynne~

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  19. I love zinnias, too. And the idea of the pitcher is a nice one. I liked the contrast in your example, the white really shows off the colors of the blooms.

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  20. I agree with you. I am a big fan of zinnias.

    =)

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  21. Lovely flowers and great colors!

    Hugs
    Charo

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  22. Sarah, your zinnias are so pretty! You are right, they do so well in the southwest. For some reason, even my zinnias are struggling this summer. We need rain! The rains always seem to work better than watering. You have given me hope that mine may do better soon!

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  23. LOL, LOL, LOL...that was the one "Z" that I didn't think of, Sarah!! :-)

    We always had zinnias when I was little...how pretty yours look, too. I didn't realize they were so sun tolerant. Must make a note to plant some next summer. Thanks!

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  24. Hi Sarah! I love zinnias. They have pretty colors and yours are lovely...Christine

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  25. Zinnias!

    My absolutely favorite flower! They are such happy flowers...and so sturdy.

    I think if I had to be a flower it would be a zinnia!

    How could anyone be unhappy around a big bouquet of them?

    This year I planted a green variety called "envy" that is gorgeous on bouquets.

    Thank you for this happy stop on our little journey through Alphabe-Thursday's letter "Z"!

    A+

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  26. Hi Sarah,

    Zinnias are such wonderful flowers, aren't they? So colorful, so crisp and sturdy-looking. It seems that all the shades they come in "play well" with one another.

    My mother always grew them from seeds when I was a child. I remember selling vegetable and flower seed packs (including zinnias) for school projects when I was in elementary school Magazine subscription sales came later. Now I'm rambling. I'll be waxing poetic/sentimental next! ;)

    I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

    Bye for now,
    Bill

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  27. Sarah, I don't have any zinnias this year, and I miss them. I love cutting them to bring in the house. That pitcher of zinnias looks so pretty. Nothing says summer like a bouquet of zinnias. laurie

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  28. Beautiful zinnias and what a lovely flower arrangement! Wonderful Z choice.

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  29. Zinnias are far more popular than i thought ... i just have a shade garden so i have never considered them but i sure do enjoy the wide variety of colours!

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  30. Best cut flowers around. That arrangement in the pitcher is eye candy.

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  31. Your zinnias are beautiful. I'll have to try to grow some in our oppressive Arizona heat and sun.

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  32. I love zinnias they remind me of my G-Mom-B! Zinnias and cosmos are the only thing still going strong in the garden!

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  33. I love Zinnias, too. They just seem to scream summer and they are so easy to start from seed. Beautiful photos.

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  34. So Pretty!! Happy Pink Saturday!

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  35. Well, happy Z day :)
    It has been 26 weeks of fun and learning.
    I really love your flowers in the pitcher. Amazing how two simple things can be become grand...

    hope you can visit my z when you have time :)
    http://adivashammer.com/?p=1662

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  36. I love so many different flowers, but Zinnias are at the top of the list. I just love their bright colors and their simple form. Simple, but still so bold. I had an empty spot in my front flower bed and found some zinnias at the nursery this week to fill it in. It made the perfect addition! Thanks for stopping by my blog and checking out the Ice Cream Social. I definitely plan or doing it again next year at the same time, so please do plan on joining in.

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  37. I love zinnias and wish they thrived here in MO. Yours are so lovely! Blessings ~ Katie

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  38. I love your blog! Being a spiritual person the name drew me to it. I would love to have you come for a visit. There are a lot of exciting things going on at my blog. Pleqase consider joining Cookies for US Troops.

    Have a wonderful PS!

    Valrie
    http://poemsmyway-valrie.blogspot.com

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  39. I just love your bouquet of zinnias! Nothing says summer like their bright and bold colors! So glad you had a great time in Santa Fe..we can hardly wait to go back! Such a nice break from the heat! I'm sure you are experiencing the heat wave we are! Over 105 heat index today! Whew...too hot for me~ take care

    Miss Bloomers/Sonia

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  40. These are my favorite flowers but this year, I never got around to buying the seed. They are so easy to grow too (in Texas). Enjoyed the photos.

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  41. Sarah, these are gorgeous. They would cheer my house up immediately as they are my favourite colours. Mmm - wonder if they would grow in my garden ...

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  42. You have revived my faith in zinnias! I have enjoyed your entries in the Alphabet party so much over the past weeks. You have a wealth of information to share.

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  43. I love zinnia flowers! They last for a long time too.

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  44. I love zinnias and used to grow them when I lived north of Houston. Now that I'm nearer to Galveston I don't even try anymore. I think it's a combination of too much shade and the heat and humidity. I gave up after a couple of years. That was a long time ago. Maybe I should try again. Since Ike our yard gets more light.

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  45. I wish I had enough sun to grow these! The colors are so vibrant, and I think the butterflies love them too!
    Happy Pink Saturday!
    Carol

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  46. I love your zinnias and their vibrant colors. I've never had too much luck growing them. Maybe we have too much humidity?

    Now that you're at the end of the alphabet, what's next???

    Thank you so much for participating in Summer Sundays! Looking forward to seeing you next week.

    - The Tablescaper

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  47. Oh! Zinnias are one of my many favorite flowers! I love to cut them t bring into the house and they seem to have a pretty abundant amount of blooms to bring during their season of flowering.

    Blessings & Aloha!
    Thank you so much for stopping by! Please be sure to pick up a Blogger Buddy award (aka blog hug) too! but, even if you don't do awards...just know that I appreciate whenever you stop by and all your kind comments :o)

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  48. Your zinnias are such beautiful colors, Sarah! I love the photo of them in the white pitcher.

    I don't know how I missed your "Y" post but I the yoga frog made me smile!

    ♥ Pat

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  49. Very vibrant and beautiful flowers!

    Getting into truffle

    Stopping by from The tablescapersummer sundays

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  50. Those are beautiful Zinnias!
    I love the pink ones the best!
    Thank you for your visit :)
    Hugs

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  51. I love these flowers; they are one of my favorites. This year I didn't grow them and I so regret it!

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  52. Love zinnia colors. I went to the nursery yesterday to get some to fill in the garden, and it was flat out except for some rather puny ones so guess I will have to enjoy others. Where in Texas?

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  53. These remind me of my childhood. Absolutely beautiful. :)

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  54. Your zinnias are beautiful! I have them in my cutting garden along with sunflowers. I am adding daisies and more next year.
    Hugs,
    Penny

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  55. Thanks for stopping by, Sarah, and especally for your thoughts about my friend. I only have this Quimper set and a bar set. I really like the bar set, I will post it one Sat for my favorite.....Christine

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  56. Hi Sarah, Beautiful zinnias! I tried to grow them once...spent a small fortune on enough for a bed, and they ended up covered in mildew within about 3 days. :-( I think it's just too humid here in Georgia. I am so glad you'll be participating this Thursday! :-)

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  57. My grandfather used to grow zillions {!} of Zinnias in his backyard here in Chicago and he was always so proud of them. I have love them ever since but have not had much luck growing them. Yours are SO pretty!!

    Thanks for stopping by and reading some of my posts. Most are about the lake since we are there so much in the summer. I love life there!

    xoxo
    Jane

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  58. I planted Zinnia's for the first time this year. Mine have not bloomed yet. I can't wait till they do. Thanks for sharing your beautiful flowers and for visiting my blog & taking the time to comment.

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  59. HI Sarah...super beautiful..another goreous post!! i love zinnias too..they are magical!
    Kiki~

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  60. I love all the happy colors that zinnias come in...they just say summer! your tablescape in the above post is beautiful too...I love the browns with the texturey blue......very tranquil....

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